Review – The Strange Library

This book seems more design than story, really. It’s presented beautifully, intriguingly. But I don’t get the story at all (which is not a new thing when it comes to me and Murakami, it’s true). The idea of the library with the weird hidden basement, the starling-girl… the creepiness is interesting, the uncanniness.

But in the end, it’s not much of a story, and that’s what I really read for. I’m not averse to weirdness (hello, Jeff VanderMeer), but Murakami’s weirdness never seems to work for me in the same way. I’m glad I borrowed this and didn’t pay full price.